SUMMARY

APPLE TO RELEASE VISIONOS APP STORE

DEVELOPER BETA THIS FALL 08
THE FILMS COMING TO THEATERS AND STREAMING SOON,
FROM ‘DUMB MONEY’ TO ‘THE HUNGER GAMES’ 30
THE NEXT IPAD - THE MOST ADAPTABLE
DEVICE SET FOR MAJOR UPGRADE 52
CARMAKERS FAIL PRIVACY TEST, GIVE OWNERS LITTLE
OR NO CONTROL ON PERSONAL DATA THEY COLLECT 90
 ELON MUSK SAYS X, FORMERLY TWITTER, WILL HAVE VOICE AND VIDEO CALLS, UPDATES... 18

ROKU TO CUT ABOUT 10% OF ITS WORKFORCE AS IT UPS QUARTERLY SALES EXPECTATIONS... 44

BILLIONAIRES WANT TO BUILD A NEW CITY IN RURAL CALIFORNIA. THEY MUST CONVINCE... 76

UNITED AIRLINES SAYS THE OUTAGE THAT HELD UP DEPARTING FLIGHTS WAS NOT... 102

DELTA AIR LINES SAYS IT HAS PROTECTED ITS PLANES AGAINST INTERFERENCE FROM 5G... 110

GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES RECORD INVESTMENT TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HIGH-SPEED INTERNET... 116

AIRBNB LIMITS SOME NEW RESERVATIONS IN NEW YORK CITY AS SHORT-TERM RENTAL... 122

MLB TESTING HANDS-FREE ENTRY FOR FANS UTILIZING FACIAL AUTHENTICATION, AI SECURITY 130

DISNEY, SPECTRUM DIRECT CUSTOMERS TO OTHER TV SERVICES AS DISPUTE KEEPING ESPN... 140

EU TARGETS APPLE, AMAZON, ALPHABET, BYTEDANCE, META, MICROSOFT IN NEXT PHASE... 156

TIKTOK’S IRISH DATA CENTER UP AND RUNNING AS EUROPEAN PRIVACY PROJECT... 168

TOP 10 TV SHOWS 146

TOP 10 BOOKS 148
TOP 10 SONGS 150
TOP 10 ALBUMS 152
TOP 10 MUSIC VIDEOS 154
APPLE TO
RELEASE
VISIONOS
APP STORE
DEVELOPER
BETA THIS
FALL

08
09
10
Apple announced this week that the new
visionOS App Store will be made available in a
developer beta release this fall.

The App Store will include apps and games built

for visionOS. In addition to this, it will also offer
iPhone and iPad apps that are able to run on the
Vision Pro headset.

By default, iPhone and iPad apps will be

published automatically on the visionOS App
Store, as most frameworks in iOS and iPadOS are
included in the new platform. If an app requires
a feature that is not available on Apple Vision Pro,
App Store Connect will inform the app developer
that it is not compatible and will need updates
before it is made available to consumers.

Developers who need to make changes can use

the Spatial Computing simulator in the Xcode 15
beta to interact with and test app functionality.
Further testing can be done through a
compatibility evaluation or at one of Apple’s
developer labs. As outlined by the tech giant in
the announcement post:

“To see your app in action, use the visionOS

simulator in Xcode 15 beta. The simulator lets
you interact with and easily test most of your
app’s core functionality.”

As per Apple’s announcement post, almost all

iPhone and iPad apps will be able to run on
the headset without the need for adjustments.
Developers who want to make an experience
designed specifically for the Vision Pro can do
so with the visionOS SDK. Apps that use the SDK
will adopt the standard system appearance and
3D content tuned for eye and hand input can
be included. More information is available on
Apple’s developer website.

11
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13
14
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR
DEVELOPERS & CONSUMERS?
The introduction of the visionOS App Store marks
a significant achievement for developers working
on apps for Apple’s headset. This development
promises to simplify the process of putting apps
in the hands of users, offering a broader audience
for developers to connect with.

One noteworthy advantage is that iPhone and

iPad apps will seamlessly appear on the new
App Store, eliminating the need for developers
to undertake any additional steps to make their
apps compatible with the headset.

For consumers, the arrival of the Spatial

Computing brings a wider array of app choices
for the headset, enhancing the overall experience.
This also streamlines the process of discovering
and accessing the specific apps they want,
making it more convenient and user-friendly.

It is important to note that not every iPhone

and iPad app will seamlessly work with the
new device. Therefore, it is recommended that
consumers verify the compatibility of their
preferred apps before making a purchase to
ensure a smooth experience.

15
ELON MUSK SAYS
X, FORMERLY
TWITTER, WILL
HAVE VOICE
AND VIDEO
CALLS, UPDATES
PRIVACY POLICY

18
19
20
21
Elon Musk said that his social network X,
formerly known as Twitter, will give users the
ability to make voice and video calls on the
platform. Musk, who has a history of making
proclamations about coming features and
policies that have not always come to fruition,
did not say when the features would be
available to users.

The company also updated its privacy policies

that will allow for the collection of biometric
data and employment history, among other
information.

Musk posted on the former Twitter that the site’s

voice and video calls will work on Apple and
Android devices as well as on computers, with
“No phone numbers needed.”

Rival social platforms already offer voice and

video calls. Meta, which owns Facebook,
WhatsApp and Instagram, introduced voice
and video calls on Messenger in 2015. Snapchat
added them in 2016.

X did not immediately respond to a request for

more details on the new features or when they
will be available.

The platform’s new privacy policy, which goes

into effect Sept. 29, tells users that based “on
your consent, we may collect and use your
biometric information for safety, security,
and identification purposes.” It does not say
what biometric information will be collected.
Biometric data can refer to fingerprints, facial
recognition and the like.

“The announcement is at least an

acknowledgement that X will be doing what
other social networks have already been doing
in a more covert fashion,” said Stephen Wicker,

22
23
24
25
a professor at Cornell University and expert on
data privacy,

Two years ago, Facebook agreed to a $650 million

settlement of a privacy lawsuit for allegedly using
photo face-tagging and other biometric data
without the permission of its users.

“X’s announcement is an expansion of the

ongoing farming of social network users for
personal data that can be used for directed
advertising,” Wicker said, adding that such data
collection “continues to be a problem for the
individuals that provide the data, while a source
of wealth for those that take it.”

For users in the European Union, where

sweeping regulation cracking down on Big
Tech — known as the Digital Services Act —
went into effect last week, X also added a new
reporting tool for posts and advertisements that
may violate the new rules. The feature is not
available outside of the EU, where the rules do
not apply.

In June, Twitter participated in a voluntary

“stress test” to see if it was ready to cope with
the DSA’s requirements that include protecting
children online and detecting and mitigating
disinformation, under both normal and
extreme situations. European Commissioner
Thierry Breton at the time noted the “strong
commitment of Twitter to comply” with the DSA
but added that “work needs to continue.”

26
27
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THE FILMS
COMING TO
THEATERS AND
STREAMING SOON,
FROM ‘DUMB
MONEY’ TO ‘THE
HUNGER GAMES’

Fall is coming, and so are the movies.

OK, not all the movies. Some of them, like “Dune:

Part Two,” have been postponed until next year
due to the ongoing actors and writers strikes.
But most of the film calendar has stayed intact
— for now.

Just like summer, there are plenty of sequels

and prequels on the way. A second “Nun,” a
third “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” a fourth
“Expendables” and a 10th “Saw.” But many of the
most anticipated titles are awards contenders,
historical epics and festival hits.

30
31
32
Here’s a look at some of the highlights of the
next three months.

MOVIES RELEASING IN SEPTEMBER

“Cassandro” (in theaters Sept. 15, streams on
Prime Video Sept. 22)

Gael García Bernal gives one of his best

performances in Roger Ross Williams’ biopic
about lucha libre wrestler Saúl Armendáriz.
Williams, the veteran documentary filmmaker,
makes his narrative debut with this drama about
the openly gay wrestler who became a fan
favorite in a traditionally homophobic sport. Bad
Bunny co-stars.

“Dumb Money” (in theaters Sept. 22, wide Oct. 6)

The GameStop stock trading frenzy gets a

rousing and comic big-screen telling in Craig
Gillespie’s “Dumb Money.” Paul Dano stars as
Keith Gill, the small-time investor who helped
rally a historic short squeeze on hedge funds
who had bet that GameStop’s future was dismal.
Gillespie’s film features a freewheeling ensemble
including Pete Davidson, Anthony Ramos, Seth
Rogen, Shailene Woodley, America Ferrera and
Nick Offerman.

“Fair Play” (in theaters Sept. 29, on Netflix Oct. 13)

Hedge funds also play a role in writer-director

Chloe Domont’s drama about sexual politics and
gender dynamics in the high-charged, male-
dominated world of finance. Phoebe Dynevor
(“Bridgerton) and Alden Ehrenreich (“Solo”)
star as two analysts for the same firm whose
secret romance spills into the corporate
backstabbing at their hedge fund. “Fair Play,”
credited with reviving the erotic thriller at the

33
Sundance Film Festival, is sure to generate
conversation from Netflix watchers.

ALSO OPENING
Sept. 8: “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” (in
theaters); “The Nun II” (in theaters); “Aristotle &
Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” (in
theaters); “El Conde” (in theaters; on Netflix
Sept. 15)

Sept. 15: “A Haunting in Venice” (in theaters);

“Love at First Sight” (Netflix); “The Inventor” (in
theaters); “Camp Hideout” (in theaters); “Canary”
(in theaters); “A Million Miles Away” (in theaters);
“Invisible Beauty” (in theaters)

Sept. 18: “Superpower” (Paramount+)

Sept. 19: “The Saint of Second Chances (Netflix)

Sept. 22: “Expend4bles” (in theaters); “Flora and

Son” (in theaters; streaming Sept. 29 on Apple
TV+); “It Lives Inside” (in theaters); “Neither
Confirm Nor Deny” (in theaters); “Spy Kids:
Armageddon” (Netflix)

Sept 17: “The Wonderful Story on Henry

Sugar” (Netflix)

Sept. 29: “The Creator” (in theaters); “The Kill

Room” (in theaters); “Carlos” (in theaters); “She
Came to Me” (in theaters); “PAW Patrol: The
Mighty Movie” (in theaters); “Saw X” (in theaters);
“Dicks: The Musical” (in theaters)

MOVIES RELEASING IN OCTOBER

“Anatomy of a Fall” (in theaters Oct. 13)

Justine Triet’s courtroom drama, the Palme

d’Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival, puts a
marriage on trial. Sandra Hüller stars as a fiction
writer charged with killing her husband after

34
35
he plunges to his death from the second story
of their French Alps home. On the stand, the
intricacies of their relationship unspools in a
twisty investigation that doubles as a showcase
for Hüller.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” (in theaters Oct. 20)

Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of David Grann’s

acclaimed 2017 nonfiction book centers on the
rampant murders of members of the Osage
tribe in the 1920s. In Scorsese’s hands, the tale
is a sprawling, three-and-a-half-hour true-crime
saga of American corruption and greed. Lily
Gladstone gives a standout performance, while
Scorsese regulars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert
De Niro also excel. With a score by the late
Robbie Robertson.

“Priscilla” (in theaters Oct. 27)

A year after Baz Luhrmann’s razzle-dazzle big-

screen biopic of Elvis Presley, Sofia Coppola
captures the life of Priscilla Presley in a far more
restrained and subtle dramatization. Cailee
Spaeny stars as Presley’s wife in a film drawn
partly from Priscilla Presley herself (she serves as
executive producer) and her 1985 memoir, “Elvis
and Me.” Jacob Elordi co-stars as Elvis.

ALSO OPENING
Oct. 6: “Foe” (in theaters); “Burial” (in theaters,
streams on Prime Video Oct. 13); “Plan C” (in
theaters); “Joan Baez: I Am Noise” (in theaters);
“Reptile” (Netflix); The Exorcist: Believer” (in
theaters)

Oct. 13: “Taylor Swift - The Eras Tour” (in

theaters); “The Persian Version” (in theaters)

Oct. 18: “The Delinquents” (in theaters)

36
37
38
Oct. 20: “Radical” (in theaters); “Old Dads”
(Netflix); “Nyad” (in theaters; on Netflix Nov. 3);
“Pain Hustlers” (in theaters; on Netflix Oct. 27)

Oct. 23: “Beyond Utopia” (in theaters)

Oct. 27: “Five Nights at Freddy’s” (in theaters);

“Fingernails” (in theaters; on Apple TV+ Nov. 3);
“The Holdovers” (in theaters, expands Nov. 10);
“The Killer” (in theaters; on Netflix Nov. 10)

MOVIES RELEASING IN NOVEMBER

“Rustin” (in theaters Nov. 3; on Netflix Nov. 17)

Colman Domingo stars as the civil rights activist

and 1963 March on Washington architect Bayard
Rustin. Director George C. Wolfe’s film, set in the
build-up to that protest (site of Martin Luther
King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech) is a portrait
of a less widely known ‘60s figure and gay Black
man who played an enormous role in the civil
rights movement.

“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds &

Snakes” (in theaters Nov. 17)

Eight years after the last “Hunger Games” movie

(“Mockingjay – Part 2”) a prequel is returning to
the science fiction dystopia of Panem. Francis
Lawrence’s film, set 64 years before the events
of the first “Hunger Games” film, introduces a
host of new characters in the lead-up to the
10th Hunger Games. Its cast includes Tom Blyth,
Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage and Viola Davis.

“Napoleon” (in theaters Nov. 22)

More than two decades after making the 2000

historical epic “Gladiator,” Ridley Scott and
Joaquin Phoenix are again plunging into the
pages of history. Phoenix stars as the French

39
emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, with Vanessa
Kirby as the empress Joséphine Bonaparte.

ALSO OPENING
Nov. 3: “Quiz Lady” (Hulu); “Sly” (Netflix); “What
Happens Later” (in theaters)

Nov. 10: “The Marvels” (in theaters); “Dream

Scenario” (in theaters); “Orlando, My Political
Biography” (in theaters)

Nov. 15: “Stamped From the Beginning” (Netflix);

Nov. 17: “Next Goal Wins”; “Trolls Band Together”

(in theaters); “Thanksgiving” (in theaters); “Please
Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain”
(Peacock); “May December” (in theaters; on
Netflix Dec. 1)

Nov. 22: “Wish” (in theaters); “Maestro” (in

theaters; on Netflix Dec. 20); “Leo” (Netflix)

Nov. 24: “Saltburn” (in theaters)

Nov. 30: “Family Switch” (Netflix)

40
41
ROKU TO CUT
ABOUT 10% OF
ITS WORKFORCE
AS IT UPS
QUARTERLY
SALES
EXPECTATIONS
AND SHARES
SOAR, AGAIN

44
45
46
Roku is cutting about 10% of its workforce, or
360 people, and it will limit new hiring as it cuts
costs to stem a series of quarterly losses.

The streaming platform also said in a regulatory

filing Wednesday that it expects adjusted third-
quarter revenue of between $835 million and
$875 million, which is much better than the
$828.6 million that Wall Street was projecting,
according to analysts polled by FactSet.

Shares, which have already doubled since the

start of the year, rose another 6%.

Roku Inc. anticipates a restructuring charge of

$45 million to $65 million related to the job cuts.
The charge will mostly include severance and
benefits costs, with the majority of the charge
expected to occur in its fiscal third quarter.

The Silicon Valley company also expects

impairment charge of $160 million to $200
million in its third quarter as it consolidates
some offices. An impairment charge of $55
million to $65 million is anticipated for removing
certain existing licensed and produced
content from Roku-operated services on its tv
streaming platform.

47
48
The San Jose, California-based company had
3,600 full-time workers in 14 countries as of Dec.
31, 2022, according to its annual report.

Roku anticipates the job cuts being mostly

complete by the end of its fiscal fourth quarter.

After a streak of profitable quarters during the

pandemic, Roku has put up a string of quarterly
losses that began in 2022.

The company said in late July, when it posted a

$107.6 million loss, that television advertising
“remains muted industry-wide,” but that
it’s in a good place to accelerate growth as
advertising recovers.

The tech industry underwent a wave of

layoffs after hiring went into overdrive during
the pandemic.

49
52
THE MOST ADAPTABLE DEVICE
SET FOR MAJOR UPGRADE

53
54
In recent years, Apple’s iPad upgrades have been
fairly modest, but an anticipated 2024 overhaul
of the iPad Pro promises a departure from this
trend. It stands poised to be the most significant
update to the line since 2018, aiming to rekindle
consumer interest in the tablet market and
change the game once again for the world’s most
iconic tablet brand.

55
56

A NEW ERA FOR IPAD
Apple’s iPad lineup, once viewed as the natural
successor to the Mac, is currently generating the
least revenue among Apple’s primary segments.
With unit shipments decreasing by 17% in the
second quarter and iPad revenue falling 20%
YoY during its fiscal third quarter, the tablet
market is in a slump, and Apple has not been
immune to these woes. But there’s more to this
downturn than market-wide malaise; Apple’s
own strategies have arguably stifled iPad growth.
The iPad’s current quandary isn’t solely down to
lackluster demand. There’s a confusing array of
models and specifications on offer, making
comparisons a convoluted affair for potential
buyers. Additionally, recent improvements to the
Mac lineup have, ironically, cannibalized iPad sales.
Moreover, Apple’s approach to iPad software has
remained perplexing, with multitasking features
like Stage Manager not user-friendly. In short,
critics agree that Apple has a lot of work to do if it
wants the iPad back in top form.
Against this somewhat bleak backdrop, the
rumored 2024 iPad Pro update could be a game-
changer. The new models codenamed J717, J718,
J720, and J721, are set to bring transformative
changes. First and foremost, these will be the first
iPads powered by Apple’s next-generation M3
chip. The leap to the M3 could offer the sort of
performance jump that makes users stand up and
take notice. It’s not just about power; it’s about
redefining what a tablet can do. Apple has already
included the M1 in a number of iPads, and whilst
reviews were positive, some thought the device
was being throttled not by hardware but by
software. In order to capitalize on the value an
M3 chip could bring, Apple needs to seriously
level up its operating system and add new
functionality that transforms everyday use cases.
The next critical upgrade comes in the form
of OLED displays. iPhones have boasted OLED
technology since 2017, and this advancement will
finally make its way to the iPad Pro line. We can
expect crisper visuals, better color reproduction,
and improved brightness. The Magic Keyboard
will receive its own set of updates, according to
reports. With a larger trackpad and enhanced
features, the new keyboard is geared to make
the iPad Pro feel even more like a laptop, thereby
broadening its appeal to a broader set of users.
What impact this will have on the Mac line-
up remains to be seen - however, with Apple
continuing to release killer upgrades to both the
MacBook Pro and MacBook Air range, the iPad will
need to work hard to convince people to part with
57
58
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their cash and make the switch back to tablets.

In terms of physical dimensions, the new iPad

Pro will come in two sizes: 11-inch and 13-inch
models, the latter being a slight size bump over
the current 12.9-inch version. The chances are that
a new model could be coming, too. According to
a reliable source, Apple was ‘on the verge’ of
releasing a 14-inch iPad model this year and a
separate 16-inch model has also been suggested
by The Information, and this device could still
be in active development, although there’s no
suggestion it’s on the pipeline for 2024.

A CHANGING TABLET MARKET

While these changes sound promising, the
question remains: Will they be enough to revitalize
a flagging market? Apple remains the market
leader in tablets, holding 37% of shipments
last quarter, far ahead of competitors like
Samsung and Lenovo. Therefore, an upswing
in iPad sales could potentially breathe new life
into the tablet market at large. Eager customers
will have to wait a bit longer, as the new models
are not set to debut until the spring or summer of
2024. However, with these changes, Apple seems
to be sending a clear message: It’s not yet ready to
let the iPad fade into obscurity.

Apple’s 2024 iPad Pro is shaping up to be a

watershed moment for the company’s tablet
lineup. With the potent M3 chip, vibrant OLED
displays, and an enhanced Magic Keyboard, it
appears poised to tackle the iPad’s shortcomings
head-on. The ultimate test, of course, will
be whether these changes can reinvigorate
consumer interest and provide a much-needed

60
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62
63
boost to the tablet market. So, if you’ve been
sitting on the fence about whether to invest in an
iPad Pro, you might just find that 2024 is the year
to make the leap.
A GROWING WISHLIST FOR IPAD
The current iPad Pro has become an
indispensable tool for many digital artists. Yet, it
is by no means perfect. Critics and power users
have been sharing their most-wanted features
from future iPads that could significantly
improve the experience for artists and general
users, such as improved pressure sensitivity.
While the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil (2nd Gen)
offer commendable pressure sensitivity, there’s
room for improvement. As it stands, the devices
perform well enough for broad strokes, but
when it comes to intricate detail and fine line
work, one often finds oneself retracing strokes
64
to achieve the desired outcome. Dedicated
graphics tablets still outperform the iPad Pro
in terms of pressure sensitivity granularity.
Therefore, it is imperative for Apple to raise
the bar in this domain to keep digital artists
engaged and satisfied.
The Apple Pencil might not be a direct
component of the iPad Pro, but it’s inseparable
from the tablet experience for many artists. The
2nd generation stylus was a substantial upgrade
from its predecessor, adding wireless charging
and double-tap gesture controls, among other
improvements. Yet, the Apple Pencil still trails
behind dedicated drawing styluses in a few key
areas, such as nib variety. Future iterations could
also benefit from Apple’s knack for user-interface
design. A rotating top for additional gesture
controls, as suggested by a recent patent, could be
a game-changer.
65
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Apple’s claim of a ten-hour battery life on the iPad
Pro 12.9 does hold up under testing; however,
your mileage may vary based on usage. Drawing
applications can particularly be a drain on the
battery. An improvement in battery life would be
a welcomed upgrade, especially for those who
need to use their iPads for extended periods
away from a power source. Though the iPad
Pro offers unrivaled portability among drawing
tablets, it could stand to shed a few grams. The
tablet’s weight has seen a worrying upward trend,
with the 2021 model weighing 682g, noticeably

68
heavier than its predecessors. A more lightweight
design would alleviate wrist fatigue for artists who
like to hold the tablet while drawing.

Finally, the implementation of MagSafe

technology could unlock a whole new level
of accessory versatility for the iPad Pro. While
MagSafe has become almost synonymous with
wireless charging, its potential use cases for the
iPad are myriad: easels, tripods, or mounted
charging stations could revolutionize the
artistic process.

69
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71
We can’t wait to see what
Apple brings to the iPad in 2024.
After a few years of putting
the focus on the Mac, it’s time
to give the iPad the same
treatment and revolutionize the
device for a new generation
of professionals, students, and
entertainment enthusiasts.

72
73
BILLIONAIRES
WANT TO
BUILD A NEW
CITY IN RURAL
CALIFORNIA.
THEY MUST
CONVINCE
VOTERS FIRST

Silicon Valley billionaires behind a secretive $800

million land-buying spree in Northern California
have finally released some details about their
plans for a new green city, but they still must win
over skeptical voters and local leaders.

After years of ducking scrutiny, Jan Sramek, the

former Goldman Sachs trader spearheading
the effort, launched a website about “California
Forever.” The site billed the project as “a chance
for a new community, good paying local jobs,
solar farms, and open space” in Solano, a rural
county between San Francisco and Sacramento
that is now home to 450,000 people.

76
Image: Godofredo A. Vásquez
77
He also began meeting with key politicians
representing the area who have been trying
unsuccessfully for years to find out who was
behind the mysterious Flannery Associates LLC
as it bought up huge swaths of land, making it
the largest single landholder in the county.

An all-star roster of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs

and venture capitalists are backing the project,
including philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs,
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, and venture
capitalist Marc Andreessen. The New York Times
first reported on the group’s investors and plans.

California Forever, the parent company of

Flannery, has purchased more than 78 square
miles (202 square kilometers) of farmland
in Solano County since 2018, largely in the
southeastern portion of the county, with parcels
stretching from Fairfield to Rio Vista. According
to the website, Sramek fell in love with the area
over fishing trips and he and his wife recently
purchased a home in the county for their
growing family.

The project issued a poll to residents last month

to gauge support for “a new city with tens of
thousands of new homes,” solar energy farm and
new parks funded entirely by the private sector.

But to build anything resembling a city on what

is now farmland, the group must first convince
Solano County voters to approve a ballot
initiative to allow for urban uses on that land,
a protection that has been in place since 1984.
Local and federal officials still have questions
about the group’s intentions.

Two area congressmen who sought for years to

find out whether foreign adversaries or
investors were behind the buying spree around

78
79
 Image: Terry Chea
80
a U.S. Air Force base vital to national security
and the local economy are furious that Flannery
kept its identity hidden for so long. The website
say 97% of its funding is from U.S. investors
and the rest are from the United Kingdom
and Ireland.

“The FBI, the Department of Treasury, everyone

has been doing work trying to figure out who
these people are,” U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson,
who represents much of the county, said this
week after meeting with Sramek. “Their secrecy
has caused a lot of problems, a lot of time, and a
lot of expense.”

The investment group said secrecy was required

until enough land was purchased, in order to
avoid short-term speculation, but that it is now
ready to hear from Solano households via a
mailed survey and creation of a community
advisory board. Past surveys showed parents
were most concerned about their children’s
future, the website said.

“Instead of watching our kids leave, we have

the opportunity to build a new community
that attracts new employers, creates good
paying local jobs, builds homes in walkable
neighborhoods, leads in environment
stewardship, and fuels a growing tax base to
serve the county at large,” it said.

California is in dire need of more housing,

especially affordable homes for teachers,
firefighters, service and hospitality workers.
But cities and counties can’t figure out where
to build as established neighborhoods argue
against new homes that they say would congest
their roads and spoil their quiet way of life.

81
82
In many ways, Solano County is ideal for
development. It is 60 miles (96 kilometers)
northeast of San Francisco and 35 miles (56
kilometers) southwest of California’s capital
city of Sacramento. Solano County homes are
among the most affordable in the San Francisco
Bay Area, with a median sales price of $600,000
last month.

But Princess Washington, mayor pro tempore of

Suisun City, said residents deliberately decided
to protect open space and keep the area around
Travis Air Force Base free of encroachment given
its significance.

She’s suspicious that the group’s real purpose is

“to create a city for the elite” under the guise of
more housing.

“Economic blight is everywhere. So why do you

need to spend upwards of a billion dollars to
create a brand new city when you have all these
other things that can be achieved throughout
the Bay Area?” she said.

Flannery further infuriated locals in May

when it sued several landowners in court,
accusing them of conspiring to fix prices for
their properties. The company disclosed it had
purchased or was under contract to buy about
140 properties for more than $800 million.

Then last week, residents began receiving a

push poll gauging voter support for “a major
new project” that would include “a new city with
tens of thousands of new homes.” The poll asked
if they would be more likely to support the
project if county residents were given priority
and financial assistance to lease or purchase one
of the new homes.

83
84
Thompson, the congressman, was unimpressed
after meeting with Sramek, saying that the
developer was vague on details and failed to
display an understanding or appreciation of the
county or its values.

Asked how he would help residents finance

new homes, Thompson said Sramek told him
he planned to use “all of his knowledge as a
finance guy” to generate savings. Development
in California is convoluted, but Thompson said
Sramek told him they’re hoping for expedited
permitting “because their project is so good and
their intentions are so great.”

“He doesn’t have a plan, he’s not there yet,”

Thompson said.

U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, whose district

includes Travis and immediate areas around
it, said base and county officials reached out
roughly five years ago for help in figuring out
who was buying up land. Garamendi was
appalled to learn who was backing the project.

“You big wealthy Silicon Valley billionaires,

you’re party to all of this. This is the kind of
people you are? This is how you want to
operate?” he said. “What they’ve managed to do
is to totally poison the well.”

Hoffman and Andreessen did not respond to

emailed requests for comment, nor did Jobs
through her business Emerson Collective.

Project developers said they will protect the

military base and farmers who want to keep
farming on their parcels can do so.

Flannery has purchased virtually all the land

surrounding the small city of Rio Vista, said
Mayor Ron Kott.

85
He suspects older people who make up half
of the city’s 10,000 residents won’t appreciate
the added congestion and noise, but others
might like the improved medical care, nightlife
and shopping that a sophisticated city nearby
might bring.

“If it’s done correctly, I think there’s a lot of

opportunities for the county. Their tax revenue
base will increase quite a bit. So there’s going
to be a big windfall from that. Property values
would probably go up around here as well even
further. And so I think from those perspectives
it’s good,” Kott said.

“But again, I think you’re giving up a quality of

lifestyle that’s kind of unique to this area.”

86
Image: Loren Elliott
87
90
 CARMAKERS FAIL
PRIVACY TEST, GIVE
OWNERS LITTLE OR NO
CONTROL ON PERSONAL
DATA THEY COLLECT

91
92
Cars are getting an “F” in data privacy. Most
major manufacturers admit they may be selling
your personal information, a new study finds,
with half also saying they would share it with
the government or law enforcement without a
court order.

The proliferation of sensors in automobiles

— from telematics to fully digitized control
consoles — has made them prodigious data-
collection hubs.

But drivers are given little or no control over the

personal data their vehicles collect, researchers
for the nonprofit Mozilla Foundation said
Wednesday in their latest “Privacy Not
Included” survey Security standards are also
vague, a big concern given automakers’ track
record of susceptibility to hacking.

“Cars seem to have really flown under the

privacy radar and I’m really hoping that we can
help remedy that because they are truly awful,”
said Jen Caltrider, the study’s research lead.
“Cars have microphones and people have all
kinds of sensitive conversations in them. Cars
have cameras that face inward and outward.”

Unless they opt for a used, pre-digital model,

car buyers “just don’t have a lot of options,”
Caltrider said.

Cars scored worst for privacy among more than

a dozen product categories — including fitness
trackers, reproductive-health apps, smart speakers
and other connected home appliances — that
Mozilla has studied since 2017.

Not one of the 25 car brands whose privacy

notices were reviewed — chosen for their
popularity in Europe and North America — met

93
94
the minimum privacy standards of Mozilla,
which promotes open-source, public interest
technologies and maintains the Firefox browser.
By contrast, 37% of the mental health apps the
non-profit reviewed this year did.

Nineteen automakers say they can sell your

personal data, their notices reveal. Half will
share your information with government or law
enforcement in response to a “request” — as
opposed to requiring a court order. Only two —
Renault and Dacia, which are not sold in North
America — offer drivers the option to have their
data deleted.

“Increasingly, most cars are wiretaps on wheels,”

said Albert Fox Cahn, a technology and
human rights fellow at Harvard’s Carr Center
for Human Rights Policy. “The electronics that
drivers pay more and more money to install are
collecting more and more data on them and
their passengers.”

“There is something uniquely invasive about

transforming the privacy of one’s car into a
corporate surveillance space,” he added.

A trade group representing the makers of most

cars and light trucks sold in the U.S., the Alliance
for Automotive Innovation, took issue with that
characterization. In a letter sent to U.S. House and
Senate leadership, it said it shares “the goal of
protecting the privacy of consumers.”

It called for a federal privacy law, saying a

“patchwork of state privacy laws creates confusion
among consumers about their privacy rights and
makes compliance unnecessarily difficult.” The
absence of such a law lets connected devices and
smartphones amass data for tailored ad targeting
and other marketing — while also raising the

95
96
odds of massive information theft through
cybersecurity breaches.

We asked the Alliance, which has resisted efforts

to provide car owners and independent repair
shops with access to onboard data, if it supports
allowing car buyers to automatically opt out of
data collection — and granting them the option
of having collected data deleted. Spokesman
Brian Weiss said that for safety reasons the
group “has concerns” about letting customers
completely opt out — but does endorse giving
them greater control over how the data is used in
marketing and by third parties.

In a 2020 Pew Research survey, 52% of Americans

said they had opted against using a product or
service because they were worried about the
amount of personal information it would collect
about them.

On security, Mozilla’s minimum standards include

encrypting all personal information on a car. The
researchers said most car brands ignored their
emailed questions on the matter, those that did
offering partial, unsatisfactory responses.

Japan-based Nissan astounded researchers with

the level of honesty and detailed breakdowns
of data collection its privacy notice provides,
a stark contrast with Big Tech companies such
as Facebook or Google. “Sensitive personal
information” collected includes driver’s license
numbers, immigration status, race, sexual
orientation and health diagnoses.

Further, Nissan says it can share “inferences”

drawn from the data to create profiles “reflecting
the consumer’s preferences, characteristics,
psychological trends, predispositions, behavior,
attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes.”

97
98
It was among six car companies that said they
could collect “genetic information” or “genetic
characteristics,” the researchers found.

Nissan also said it collected information on “sexual

activity.” It didn’t explain how.

The all-electric Tesla brand scored high on Mozilla’s

“creepiness” index. If an owner opts out of data
collection, Tesla’s privacy notice says the company
may not be able to notify drivers “in real time” of
issues that could result in “reduced functionality,
serious damage, or inoperability.”

Neither Nissan nor Tesla immediately responded

to questions about their practices.

Mozilla’s Caltrider credited laws like the 27-nation

European Union’s General Data Protection
Regulation and California’s Consumer Privacy Act
for compelling carmakers to provide existing data
collection information.

It’s a start, she said, by raising awareness among

consumers just as occurred in the 2010s when
a consumer backlash prompted TV makers to
offer more alternatives to surveillance-heavy
connected displays.

99
UNITED AIRLINES
SAYS THE OUTAGE
THAT HELD UP
DEPARTING
FLIGHTS
WAS NOT A
CYBERSECURITY
ISSUE

102
103
104
United Airlines said that a software update
triggered a glitch that forced it to halt
departures nationwide, briefly crippling one of
the nation’s biggest carriers on a busy travel day.

Federal officials said United crews had been

unable to contact airline dispatchers through
normal means.

“A software update caused a widespread

slowdown in United’s technology systems,”
United said in a statement. The airline said it was
not a cybersecurity issue.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which

runs the nation’s airspace, said United asked it
to stop the airline’s departures nationwide. The
FAA said the issue was limited to United and
its subsidiaries.

The ground stop — it did not affect planes

already in the air, United said — lasted a little
more than an hour.

By late afternoon Tuesday on the East Coast,

United had canceled only seven flights, well
below its average of about 16 per day over the
busy Labor Day weekend, according to figures
from tracking service FlightAware.

However, more than 350 United flights were

delayed — 13% of the carrier’s schedule, far
more than rivals American, Delta and Southwest
— on a day that many holiday vacationers were
expected to fly home.

Southwest Airlines had a similar outage in April

that grounded all departing flights for about
an hour and caused more than 2,000 flights to
be late.

The FAA caused all U.S. departures to be halted

briefly in January when a system used to alert

105
106
pilots to safety hazards failed. The agency
blamed a contractor that it said accidentally
deleted files while synchronizing the alert
system and its backup.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who

has criticized airlines for flight problems and
other issues over the past year, posted that the
FAA was “receiving more information about
the cause and scope of the issue, and DOT will
make sure (United) meets its obligations to
affected passengers.”

The FAA is part of Buttigieg’s Department of

Transportation.

Shares of Chicago-based United Airlines

Holdings Inc. fell on news of the ground stop
and closed down 2.5%.

107
DELTA AIR LINES
SAYS IT HAS
PROTECTED ITS
PLANES AGAINST
INTERFERENCE
FROM 5G
WIRELESS
SIGNALS

110
111
Delta Air Lines said that it has completed
upgrading its fleet to protect key equipment
against interference from 5G wireless signals,
plugging a hole that could have disrupted flights
during low visibility.

The airline said all its planes in active use now

have radio altimeters that are protected against
interference.

“This means no Delta aircraft will be subject to

additional weather-driven constraints,” a Delta
spokesman said.

In late June, 190 of Delta’s roughly 900 planes

lacked the upgraded altimeters. Those devices use
radio signals to precisely measure the height of a
plane above the ground.

The issue forced Delta to consider rerouting those

planes to avoid low-visibility situations while it
waited for new parts from a supplier, although the
airline said that it got through summer without
notable problems with altimeters.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg pushed

airlines to retrofit planes before the summer
travel season, and most did. Among the largest
U.S. carriers, only Atlanta-based Delta missed a
July 1 deadline to upgrade all altimeters before
AT&T, Verizon and other wireless carriers boosted
the power of their C-Band, 5G signals. Flight
disruptions, which some had expressed concern
about, didn’t materialize, however.

Some aviation experts and the Federal Aviation

Administration believe that C-Band signals are
too close to frequencies used by radio altimeters.
The Federal Communications Commission, which
granted 5G licenses to the wireless companies, has
said there is no risk of interference.

112
113
GOVERNOR
ANNOUNCES
RECORD
INVESTMENT TO
EXPAND ACCESS
TO HIGH-SPEED
INTERNET IN
KENTUCKY

116
117
Looking to close its digital divide, Kentucky will
use a $386 million investment to expand access
to high-speed internet to more than 42,600
homes and businesses, Gov. Andy Beshear said
this week.

It amounts to a record investment

of broadband money for Kentucky, a
combination of public and private sector
funds that will be spread broadly among 46
counties, Beshear said. It’s the next phase
of a bipartisan policy goal to connect every
Kentucky home and business to reliable, high-
speed internet.

“High-speed internet is no longer a luxury,” the

Democratic governor said at a news conference.
“It is an absolute infrastructure necessity.”

Kentucky policymakers are pursuing a long-

term effort to connect areas with no internet
access or chronically slow service. The persistent
lack of access in some parts of the state was
laid bare during the COVID-19 pandemic, when
remote work and schooling were hampered by
significant gaps in connectivity.

The latest round of funding shows the GOP-

led legislature’s goal of expanding broadband
access “is within reach,” said Republican
House Speaker David Osborne. He pointed to
legislative initiatives that created and funded
the Kentucky Broadband Deployment Fund
and Office of Broadband Development.

“While today’s announcement is a step in the

right direction, a great deal of work remains
to be done before Kentuckians across the
commonwealth have access to high-speed
internet,” Osborne said in a statement after the
governor’s announcement.

118
119
120
The broadband awards are the result of a 2021
agreement between lawmakers and the governor
to use $300 million of federal pandemic relief
funds to extend broadband service.

In mid-2022, the governor announced the first

round of awards from the state’s broadband
deployment fund, totaling $89.1 million.
Combined with matching funds, more than
$203 million was committed to ensure access for
more than 34,000 families and businesses, the
governor’s office said.

The governor awarded 56 grants totaling more

than $196 million in public funds from the
broadband deployment fund. Internet service
providers receiving grant funding will contribute
more than $190 million in matching funds.

Beshear said there are even “bigger days to come”

in the state’s broadband expansion work, pointing
to a nearly $1.1 billion federal grant that the state
secured this year. It will amount to the largest
public investment in high-speed internet in the
state’s history, the governor’s office said. Beshear
said he hopes the state can draw down the first
$200 million from that amount by year’s end.

It’s all part of a “transformative” push to

achieve universal, reliable internet access
statewide, he said.

“We’re talking about access everywhere,” Beshear

said. “It doesn’t mean universal access except
where it’s difficult, or except where the terrain
is tough. Our goal is high-speed internet to
everyone. No exceptions.”

121
AIRBNB LIMITS
SOME NEW
RESERVATIONS IN
NEW YORK CITY AS
SHORT-TERM RENTAL
REGULATIONS GO
INTO EFFECT

122
123
124
Home-sharing giant Airbnb said it has had to
stop accepting some reservations in New York
City as new regulations on short-term rentals
went into effect Tuesday that will mean big
changes for travelers hoping to avoid the high
cost of a Big Apple hotel.

The new rules are intended to effectively end a

free-for-all in which city landlords and residents
have been renting out their apartments by the
week or the night to tourists or others in town
for short stays.

Under the new system, rentals shorter than 30

days are only allowed if hosts register with the
city. Hosts must commit to being physically
present in the home for the duration of the
rental, sharing living quarters with their guest.
More than two guests at a time are not allowed,
either, meaning families are effectively barred.

Platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO and others are

not allowed to process rentals for unregistered
hosts — and as of early this week, few had
successfully registered. The city says it has
approved just under 300 of the more than 3,800
applications received.

Officials and housing advocates who had

pushed for the restrictions said they were
necessary to stop apartments from becoming de
facto hotels.

“In New York City, residential apartments should

be for residential use,” said Murray Cox of Inside
Airbnb, a housing advocacy group that collects
data about the company’s presence in cities
around the world.

Airbnb has fought the rules in court,

arguing they were essentially a ban, and

125
that they would hurt visitors looking for
affordable accommodations.

But since Aug. 21, the company — which had

38,500 active non-hotel listings in New York City
as recently as January — said it had stopped
accepting new short-term reservations from
any host who hadn’t provided either a city
registration number or documentation that it
was in process. It said once the city’s verification
system was fully up and running, no short-term
listing would be allowed on its site without a
registration number.

Some hosts of smaller homes said they were

being unfairly targeted and lumped in with
larger apartment buildings.

“I think this is a huge indication that our elected

officials have let us down,” said Krystal Payne,
who lives in a two-family home in Brooklyn and
had been renting out one of the apartments to
help pay her mortgage.

The regulations were adopted by the city in

January of last year but were held up by legal
action until last month.

While online rental listing services gave

travelers more options in New York — and were
a financial windfall to residents who rented
out their homes while away on vacation —
they have also led to complaints about scarce
housing in residential neighborhoods being
gobbled up by tourists.

Regular tenants complained about buildings

that suddenly felt like hotels, with strangers
in their hallways and occasional parties in
rented units. Investors snapped up units in
condominium buildings, or whole townhouses,

126
127
128
then made a fortune doing nightly rentals
prohibited by law.

“Registration creates a clear path for hosts

who follow the city’s longstanding laws and
protects travelers from illegal and unsafe
accommodations, while ending the proliferation
of illegal short-term rentals,” Christian Klossner,
executive director of the city’s Office of Special
Enforcement, said in a statement.

In guidance posted after the legal decision

last month, Airbnb told New York City hosts
that they should either register with the city or
convert to hosting long-term stays if possible.
The company also said any existing short-term
reservation with a check-in by Dec. 1 would be
allowed to go forward, with processing fees
refunded, while those with check-in dates after
that would be canceled and refunded.

Airbnb’s global policy director, Theo Yedinsky,

called the rule changes a blow to “the thousands
of New Yorkers and small businesses in the
outer boroughs who rely on home sharing and
tourism dollars to help make ends meet.”

“The city is sending a clear message to millions

of potential visitors who will now have fewer
accommodation options when they visit New
York City: ‘You are not welcome,’” he said.

129
130
 MLB TESTING
HANDS-FREE
ENTRY FOR FANS
UTILIZING FACIAL
AUTHENTICATION,
AI SECURITY

Image: Matt Slocum

131
Major League Baseball is testing facial
authentication-based entry that would allow
ticketed fans to walk directly into stadiums — a
convenient new arrival method that the league
says won’t compromise on safety and security.

No more fumbling for a phone at entry, waiting

through a wonky bar code scan, or shuffling
through a lengthy line at one gate to catch a
baseball game at the home of the National
League champions.

The Philadelphia Phillies have partnered with

MLB to use their stadium as the site of a pilot
program called Go-Ahead Entry, which uses facial
authentication-based entry for ticketed fans.

Forget Shohei Ohtani or Bryce Harper, the faces

of the game at Citizens Bank Park were the fans
that snapped selfies through the MLB Ballpark
app, breezed past a facial scan camera, and
were soon hunting for their seats or nearest
hot dog stand.

Sports fans have long adjusted to electronic

tickets on smartphones, and have the capacity
to order everything from chicken fingers to
foam fingers on devices from their seats without
missing a pitch, punt or power play.

Now comes hands-free entry to one ballpark —

one that takes advantage of existing contact-less
security protocols. Fans have eagerly used the
technology so far, even after safety fears were
heightened after Chicago police said a shooting
that wounded two women at Friday night’s
Athletics-White Sox game most likely involved a
gun that went off inside Guaranteed Rate Field

Karri Zaremba, Major League Baseball’s senior

vice president of product, said Go-Ahead entry
had been in the works for more than two years.

132
Image: Matt Slocum
133
The program — complete with Go-Ahead
banners at the first base gate directing fans —
was launched Aug. 21.

All Phillies fans entering through the first

base and left field gates could already walk
through security screening without having to
stop to open bags or be checked individually.
The Phillies use Evolv Technology, which uses
AI sensor technology to expedite entry and
eliminate the need to remove cell phones,
cameras, coins, and keys and place them in a
screening bowl, or to have patrons checked
individually with metal detecting wands.

“These are the most advanced security systems

on the market today,” Zaremba said. “That is a
completely separate step as part of (Go-Ahead),
but we pair it together because both support
free flow.”

Evolv technology is used at select other

stadiums, such as Fenway Park and SoFi
Stadium, and puts a premium on safety. Baseball
fans and players say they’ve always felt safe at
the ballpark.

“I can’t remember a time where I felt scared of

another human at a ballpark,” Phillies outfielder
Brandon Marsh said. “That’s never on my mind.
I’m worrying about the task and job at hand.
There’s already a lot to worry about.”

Jason Ritchie, from Bath, Maine, road-tripped

to Philly with his 13-year-old son to watch
four Phillies games and used the Go-Ahead
entry for every one. Ritchie said he had no
concerns about the program and appreciated
the volume and speed — an E-ZPass, of sorts,
for humans — the cameras could handle that
made entry a snap.
Image: Matt Slocum
134
135
136
“You don’t have to put your bags down,” he
said. “You keep walking and I don’t have to
have my tickets out. I think it’s a great idea. If
they don’t have to go through your bags, if you
don’t have to keep your tickets out, it makes it
very easy.”

Fans 18 and older can register and take a selfie

for Go-Ahead entry through the app. The photo
is stored as a unique numerical token before
the image is deleted — and a photo needs to
be taken only once. Then fans walk through
the gate — the Phillies have two stations set
up at the first base gate — without stopping or
needing a phone.

One device was used for the first series of a

nine-game homestand and a second Go-Ahead
facial scan camera was deployed for the final
six games based on enrollment numbers and
positive fan sentiment.

More than 7,000 fans had enrolled ahead of a

three-game series against the Angels.

Zaremba said fan photos are instantly deleted

and the tokens are not connected to any type
of security system.

“That’s part of the reason it’s taken us a

long time,” she said. “We wanted to be very
thoughtful and considerate in our approach.
We wanted to make sure that fans were
comfortable. It’s a completely optional service.
No one has to use this. But if they want a faster,
more frictionless experience to enter the
ballpark, then we wanted to offer them a
way to do that.”

The Phillies, who lead the NL wild-card

standings and average 38,866 fans, said
they might add another camera or two

137
for the postseason, if necessary. Should the
program meet MLB’s expectations, it could
expand to other ballparks next season.

Fans seemed to enjoy mugging for the camera,

smiling, laughing, as they walked inside. One
early hitch, the camera captured too many
background faces, a problem resolved simply by
spacing people out a bit more.

Zaremba said the program was designed to

remain separate from any kind of security or
monitoring system at the ballpark.

In other words, don’t expect to get kicked out

of the stadium like how some fans — notably,
attorneys — were booted by James Dolan and
Madison Square Garden through the arena’s use
of facial recognition technology.

MLB and the Phillies were quick to note the

difference between their facial authentication
and facial recognition.

“This is not scanning a crowd looking for

people,” said Phillies vice president and
chief technology officer Sean Walker. “This
is determining if a person is authenticated.
We’re not tied to any law enforcement. There’s
certainly no sharing of the data. It’s simply to get
you into the ballpark. It’s not facial surveillance.”

Smile. You might need one to attend a

Phillies game.

138
139
DISNEY,
SPECTRUM DIRECT
CUSTOMERS
TO OTHER TV
SERVICES AS
DISPUTE KEEPING
ESPN OFF AIR
CONTINUES

140
141
142
Both sides of a dispute that has left nearly 15
million cable TV subscribers without ESPN or other
networks affiliated with The Walt Disney Co. are
directing customers to other services where they
can watch television.

The offers speak to the unusual nature of

the business dispute between Disney and
Charter Communications, and doesn’t auger
a quick resolution.

Charter is telling its Spectrum TV customers about

a special deal being offered by the Fubo live
television streaming service to get two months at
discounts of 25% or 30%, depending on the plan.

“I’ve covered carriage disputes for more years

than I would like to remember, and I don’t recall
a TV provider ever offering its customers a
discount to another TV provider during a channel
blackout,” wrote journalist Phillip Swann, who runs
tvanswerman.com.

Spectrum had no comment on the offer’s implications.

Disney, meanwhile, is also offering upset

Spectrum customers online links to sign up
for other services, like Hulu, Fubo, Sling and
YouTubeTV. A Disney representative said that
“discussions continue” with Charter and had no
other updates.

The business battle resulted in ESPN, ABC, FX,

National Geographic and Disney-branded stations
going abruptly dark on Thursday night for
Charter’s Spectrum TV subscribers. ABC-TV was
also cut in seven markets, including New York,
Chicago and Los Angeles.

Carriage disputes, involving what cable or satellite

customers will pay to carry specific networks on
their systems, are not uncommon.

143
144
Yet Charter is arguing that the number of people
cutting off their cable subscriptions over the
past few years means the business is changing
rapidly, and any new deal must reflect that. It
wants Disney to give customers more flexibility
to restrict “bundling,” which requires them to
pay for networks they don’t necessarily want.
It also wants Disney to offer its ad-supported
streaming services for free as part of the
deal, saying it has moved some of its best TV
programming over to streaming.

Charter, which has broadband as well as cable

customers, is anticipating a day when ESPN
transitions to a direct-to-consumer streaming
service, said analyst Rich Greenfield of
Lightshed Partners.

“Could this end up being a watershed event

for the linear TV business that also blows up
the entire sports media ecosystem?” Greenfield
wrote in an analysis. “Sure. However, we have
lived through enough of these battles to know
that they usually end in an agreement.”

145
 The Real Housewives of Orange
County

146
 THE SWEETEST BIRTHDAY
JERSEY SHORE: FAMILY VACATION

PUMPKINS & PAPARAZZI

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY

BUSINESS CLASSY
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY

LOVE DURING LOCKUP: BONDED FOR LIFE

LOVE AFTER LOCKUP

REUNION, PT. 1
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA

STONES IN GLASS HOUSES

SISTER WIVES

YOU WREATH WHAT YOU SOW

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY

BIRTHDAY BRAWL
TOYA & REGINAE

THE ANGLERFISH STRATAGEM

ARCHER

THE MOTHERSHIP
JERSEY SHORE: FAMILY VACATION

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 Jennifer Weiner

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 FOURTH WING
REBECCA YARROS

THE BREAKAWAY
JENNIFER WEINER

GOOD NIGHT, IRENE

LUIS ALBERTO URREA

TOM LAKE
ANN PATCHETT

DEAD MOUNTAIN
DOUGLAS PRESTON & LINCOLN CHILD

TOO LATE
COLLEEN HOOVER

NONE OF THIS IS TRUE

LISA JEWELL

IT ENDS WITH US
COLLEEN HOOVER

ONE MOMENT IN TIME

SHARI LOW

THE GIRL IN THE EAGLE’S TALONS

KARIN SMIRNOFF & SARAH DEATH

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 Nicki Minaj

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 MARGARITAVILLE
JIMMY BUFFETT

COME MONDAY
JIMMY BUFFETT

RICH MEN NORTH OF RICHMOND

OLIVER ANTHONY MUSIC

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE
JIMMY BUFFETT

CHANGES IN LATITUDES, CHANGES IN...

JIMMY BUFFETT

A PIRATE LOOKS AT FORTY

JIMMY BUFFETT

IT’S FIVE O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE (LIVE)

JIMMY BUFFETT

PAINT THE TOWN RED

DOJA CAT

LAST TIME I SAW YOU

NICKI MINAJ

I REMEMBER EVERYTHING (FEAT...)

ZACH BRYAN

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 Jimmy Buffett

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 SONGS YOU KNOW BY HEART
JIMMY BUFFETT

ZACH BRYAN
ZACH BRYAN

BOATS, BEACHES, BARS & BALLADS

JIMMY BUFFETT

LIVE AT FENWAY PARK

JIMMY BUFFETT

BUFFETT LIVE - TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS...

JIMMY BUFFETT

CHANGES IN LATITUDES, CHANGES...

JIMMY BUFFETT

SONGS YOU DON’T KNOW BY HEART

JIMMY BUFFETT

LICENSE TO CHILL
JIMMY BUFFETT

LIFE ON THE FLIP SIDE

JIMMY BUFFETT

A-1-A
JIMMY BUFFETT

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 Kylie Minogue

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 IT’S FIVE O’ CLOCK SOMEWHERE
ALAN JACKSON & JIMMY BUFFETT

AUTUMN VARIATIONS - TRAILER

ED SHEERAN

GOD PROBLEMSCRAZY LOVE (FEAT. ...)

MAVERICK CITY MUSIC, CHANDLER MOORE & NAOMI RAINE

TENSION
KYLIE MINOGUE

GOD PROBLEMS
MAVERICK CITY MUSIC, CHANDLER MOORE & NAOMI RAINE

GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN (FEAT...)

BILLY JOE SHAVER

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE
JIMMY BUFFETT

BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT, MOVE ON...

JIMMY BUFFETT & CAROLINE JONES

SINGLE SOON
SELENA GOMEZ

ALL NIGHT LONG (LIVE)

JIMMY BUFFETT & LIONEL RICHIE

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EU TARGETS APPLE,
AMAZON, ALPHABET,
BYTEDANCE, META,
MICROSOFT
IN NEXT PHASE
OF DIGITAL
CRACKDOWN

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The European Union this week targeted Apple,
Amazon, Microsoft, Google parent Alphabet,
Facebook owner Meta and TikTok parent
ByteDance under new digital rules aimed at
reining in the market power of online companies.

The six companies were classed as online

“gatekeepers” that must face the highest level
of scrutiny under the 27-nation bloc’s Digital
Markets Act.

The act amounts to a list of do’s and don’ts

that seeks to prevent tech giants from
cornering new digital markets, with the threat
of whopping fines or even the possibility of a
company breakup.

It’s part of a sweeping update to the EU’s digital

rulebook that’s starting to take force this year,
and comes weeks after a companion package of
rules aimed at keeping internet users safe, the
Digital Services Act, started kicking in.

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Image: Laurenz Heymann
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Image: Jenny Kane
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 Image: Cindy Ord
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It’s “time to turn the tables and ensure that no
online platform behaves as if it was ‘too big to
care,’” European Commissioner Thierry Breton,
who’s in charge of the bloc’s digital policy, said
ahead of the announcement.

The EU’s executive Commission said digital

platforms can be listed as gatekeepers if they
act as key gateways between businesses and
consumers by providing “core platform services.”

Those services include Google’s Chrome

browser, Microsoft’s Windows operating
systems, chat apps like Meta’s WhatsApp, social
networks like TikTok, and others playing a
middleman role like Amazon’s Marketplace and
Apple’s App Store.

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The companies now have six months to start
complying with the Digital Markets Act’s
requirements, which are set to shake up how Big
Tech companies operate.

Messaging services will be required to work

with each other. That means Telegram or Signal
users could exchange texts or video files with
WhatsApp users.

Platforms are banned from ranking their own

products or services higher than their rivals in
search results. So, Amazon isn’t allowed to make
its own-brand products easier to find than those
from third-party merchants.

Online services can’t combine a user’s

personal data to build up a profile for targeted
advertising, unless consent is explicitly given.

Violations could result in fines of up to 10% of

a company’s annual global revenue, and up to
20% for repeat offenders, or even a breakup of
the company.

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TIKTOK’S IRISH
DATA CENTER UP
AND RUNNING
AS EUROPEAN
PRIVACY PROJECT
GETS UNDER WAY

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TikTok said this week that operations are
underway at the first of its three European data
centers, part of the popular Chinese owned app’s
effort to ease Western fears about privacy risks.

The video sharing app said it began transferring

European user information to a data center in
Dublin. Two more data centers, another in Ireland
and one in Norway, are under construction, TikTok
said in an update on its plan to localize European
user data, dubbed Project Clover.

TikTok has been under scrutiny by European and

American regulators over concerns that sensitive
user data may end up in China. TikTok is owned
by ByteDance, a Chinese company that moved
its headquarters to Singapore in 2020.

TikTok unveiled its plan earlier this year to store

data in Europe, where there are stringent privacy
laws, after a slew of Western governments
banned the app from official devices.

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NCC Group, a British cybersecurity company, is
overseeing the project, TikTok’s vice president of
public policy for Europe, Theo Bertram, said in a
blog post.

NCC Group will check data traffic to make sure

that only approved employees “can access
limited data types” and carry out “real-time
monitoring” to detect and respond to suspicious
access attempts, Bertram said.

“All of these controls and operations are

designed to ensure that the data of our
European users is safeguarded in a specially-
designed protective environment, and can only
be accessed by approved employees subject to
strict independent oversight and verification,”
Bertram said.

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